CHAPTER 957: CHAPTER 951: FISHING COMPETITION

Could... I get back the old Costate who remained unfazed even with a mountain collapsing before him?

After spending considerable effort persuading the maid.

Ronald once again lay on the ship, and couldn’t help but entertain this kind of thought.

Looking at the situation, this maid of his really made significant progress in imitating humans.

But the price was—

Costate’s personality underwent a very significant transformation.

If he hadn’t witnessed Costate imitating humans and gradually becoming what he is today, Ronald would have suspected that his emotionally indifferent maid had been secretly switched.

"Sigh..."

Ronald sighed while lying on the bed.

He wasn’t in the mood to continue studying the fleet data now.

Casually pulling the pillow towel behind his head to cover his face, blocking his view completely, his originally keen perception became even more sensitive due to sensory compensation.

At this moment.

Three steamships on the sea maintained the same distance. They all set out from Springs, and headed southeast, gathering elite personnel dispatched from various ports along the Grid coast.

It’s precisely because of such a plan.

Ronald found many old acquaintances’ Magic Fluctuations among the group.

For example, Nicole from Berenwich, the princess who once helped him craft magical equipment, and even the more familiar researchers from The Scroll Study Society.

These people usually stayed on the central ship of the fleet.

Turning his attention forward, on the first steamship leading the fleet, Ronald discovered the witch, Koya, whom he rescued from the Arctic seal.

Since she parted ways in Entrode, she headed for the most developed country in the world, Grid, reached a deal with the investigation bureau here, and temporarily relied on their forces.

People who joined this outbound fleet under similar conditions were arranged on the leading steamship.

And at the end of the fleet was naturally the steamship Ronald was aboard.

A large number of clergy and powerful neutral Casters were plentiful here.

Although not in the vanguard position like the first ship, it meant when approaching land, passengers on this ship would be the last to dock among the three steamships.

If they encountered any situations requiring quick action, Casters here would definitely be at a certain disadvantage.

"Sigh, I can’t lie down anymore."

Ronald lay in bed, playing a game of counting heads to pass the time.

After nearly half an hour, he really couldn’t lie down any longer.

So Ronald lifted the quilt off the bed, gave a brief instruction to the nearby Costate, turned his head, and walked out of the cabin.

"..."

"Mr. Ronald, you’re out?"

Naturally, there were also investigators maintaining order daily in the cabin.

For a strong person like Ronald, there was always someone keeping watch outside, so as soon as he emerged, someone came forward to greet him.

"Is there anything I can assist you with?"

"I feel there’s someone casting spells at the stern, and there are quite a few of them." Ronald pointed upwards to the deck, "Idling in the cabin won’t do any good, so I plan to see what’s happening there."

"I see..." The investigator, receiving the response, immediately cleared a path.

After Ronald prepared to continue upward, the investigator thought quickly for a few seconds while sharing his thoughts on Ronald’s target.

"The ship offers some entertainment facilities intended originally for ordinary people. Everyone possesses spells, so such facilities don’t seem very satisfying."

"According to last night’s message, some passengers plan to hold a competition today at the stern, and it involves fishing?"

"Thanks for the reminder!" Ronald waved in thanks, leaving the ship’s passage without slowing down.

Having lived on the steamship for more than two weeks now.

Ronald was already quite familiar with the surrounding routes.

He moved along the quickest route to the deck, rounding complex interior setups in a quarter hour, arriving at where he sensed the gathering earlier.

...

Just like the investigator reminded Ronald.

Dozens of Casters, ranging in age and school, gathered, forming a semi-circular space around a spacious steamship stern.

And within the space formed by the crowd, Il was standing on a temporary platform, enthusiastically and passionately explaining the race conditions to onlookers:

"Look quickly—"

"Mr. Thomas from the Minsk School has caught another big fish! Look into his haul box, and you’ll see it already contains five fish meeting the size specifications, making him a strong contender in today’s competition..."

Ronald, squeezed into the crowd, was not surprised by this scene.

In fact, with Il’s traits and personality, becoming such a host seemed more reasonable.

Watching the competition silently like this.

During this time, Ronald also discovered something interesting—a few additional ’new passengers’ on the ship.

This wasn’t to say there were enemies or spies lurking on the ship.

But someone from the two steamships ahead wanted to see the activity being held on this third cruise, unable to resist flying over using spells, aiming to witness or even partake in the Casters’ fishing competition.

Indeed, such dull and tedious life at sea.

Is unpleasant for anyone.

Splash—

As Ronald admired this scene, an unprecedented splash from the sea sounded.

Upon hearing the noise, Il immediately jumped off the stage, impulsively heading to the deck’s edge, practically leaning halfway over the organized ship and looking down.

"Oh my gosh!"

"Everyone look, Mr. Drake, using his body strengthening spell enhanced with Divine Power, is grappling with a leviathan beneath the sea! What sort of prey capable of battling a Caster hides in these waters?"

Il’s passionate commentary lasted just a few seconds.

A massive marine fish, seven or eight meters long, was snatched from the water by this Caster.

Perhaps another way of putting it—

Mr. Drake felt his dignity was somewhat at stake, so he fortified his body once more.

Thus, a fish of considerable size for ordinary people, in perfect condition, was effortlessly pulled onto the deck by him, displayed for all to see.

"Way to go!"

"Drake, well done; today’s champion is surely yours!"

For such a catch, the Casters spectating naturally burst into applause and encouragement.

Yet, standing among the crowd, Ronald slightly frowned.

This fish seemed different from regular marine animals?

On this guy, existed very faint, almost imperceptible Magic Fluctuation.

At this level of magic response.

Practically ruled out being an animal influenced by spells through human intervention, instead indicating signs from natural evolution!